Carla's Pie Crust Recipe

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. shortening
6 T. cold water (If It feels dry, add one more)

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Pack down shortening in measuring cup. Add to flour mixture. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender, until mixture doesn't look "flour-y" any more. Sprinkle in 3 T. of water. Fluff with a fork. Don't stir! Sprinkle in 3 more T. of water. Fluff with a fork. With hands divide mixture in half. Press together into a ball with your hands. You will have two dough balls.

Lightly flour and pastry cloth and rolling pin with a sleeve. Press dough ball into a flat circle about 3/4" thick. Press edges together to get rid of cracks. Roll dough from the center outwards until circle is big enough for your pie plate. Pat into the pie plate. Cut edge 1" wider than top. Put in filling. Roll out top crust and place on top. Wet edges of bottom crust with water to seal the edges. Press edges together. Trim edge 1" wider than the top. Fold the crust under toward the outside, not the inside. Wave edge with fingers. Cut vents in the top for steam.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees bake for 30-40 minutes more.

Common Problems and Solutions!

My crust:
sticks to the counter - Use a pastry cloth and rolling pin sleeve
falls apart - cut in shortening with a pastry cutter
burns on the edge - Only keep the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 degrees for the remaining time.
cracks up when rolling - make another, add T. of shortening or water. Don't re-roll.
edges shrink up when cooked - leave bigger edges, fold under dough.
pie crust won't stick to itself - use water like glue.
it's too tough - don't overstir, press dough together with hands.
too soft and sticky - don't use oil based margarine. Use cold butter or shortening.

Peach Pie - Jim O'Donnell

2 cans of peach pie filling
bake in a pie crust

Pumpkin Pie - Bob Van Milligan

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
2 eggs
1 can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9" pie shell

mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into the pie shell. Bake in pre-heated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. bake for 40-50 minutes.

Apple Pie - Cathy Kelley

The Crust
2 c.flour,sifted
2/3 c. shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vinegar
Ice water added to yolk and vinegar to make 1/2 cup.

Pie Filling
8-10 green apples (Cortland/honeycrisp)
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp.cinamon
1/4 tsp.nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter

Mix the flour and shortening together to the consistency of coarse meal. Add the yolk-water mixture a little at a time until mixture clings together.Chill dough
for an hour. Divide dough in half and roll out very thin on floured board.

Pecan Pie - Stephanie Dumont & Scheree Kirk

Pecan Pie - Joy of Cooking

oven 375 degrees 40 - 50 minutes

3 Eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup corn syrup
Combine and beat thoroughly

Add
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans

Stephanie

Chocolate Creme Pie - Kathy Tuttle

2 packages of cook and serve chocolate pudding
7 cups of milk
ccok on stove until pudding begins to boil, stir constantly

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/4 cups of graham crackers
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter
Mix well, cook in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes


Kathy